


Symbol of Hospitality

by kt_rose28



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Bad Puns, Boys In Love, Committed Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Future Fic, Gift Giving, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 03:58:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19985728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kt_rose28/pseuds/kt_rose28
Summary: “It’s just, I trusted you with the purchase of a tasteful housewarming gesture and I’m confused why you decided to bring this fugly, textured fruit to my parent’s new home”.Patrick gets a gift for Johnny and Moira's housewarming, and David has some very strong opinions.





	Symbol of Hospitality

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, I just read Fruit by Sloganeer and fell in love with the fic and the series it belongs to! I love pineapples and what they represent, so I thought I would take my own spin on that! These boys are wonderful, and I love thinking about their future together. Makes my heart happy! Hope y'all enjoy :)

“You have a pineapple.”

Patrick swerves around from his position in the doorway. He could never miss an opportunity to tilt his head in amusement, even if it was just to get a rise out of David. 

“You sound judgmental.”

“Mhmm, not judgmental”. David shakes his head back and forth, as if the motion could distract the smirk stubbornly creeping onto his face. This tactic, as always, proves unsuccessful. “It’s just, I trusted you with the purchase of a tasteful housewarming gesture and I’m confused why you decided to bring this fugly, textured fruit to my parent’s new home”. 

“It’s a symbol of friendship and hospitality, David,'' Patrick explains, shifting the pineapple restlessly in his hands. The prickly skin leaves sharp indents in his husband’s palms and the pads of his fingers. 

David loves Patrick’s hands, more than he likes to admit. They’re soft from the store’s moisturizer, which allows their hands to smoothly intertwine. Late night guitar sessions on their couch build calluses on his fingertips. The roughness feels nice on his scalp, when Patrick cards his hand through his hair. However, David will not stand for fruit-related epidermal punctures. At least, not on his watch. 

“ ‘Friendship and Hospitality’? I don’t know what that means”. After three years of marriage, aloofness doesn’t work on Patrick. He sees right through the charade, smirking at David with kind eyes. 

“You’re a smart man, David. I think you can figure it out”.

God, that line should not work on him. The fact that it reddens his cheeks and make it impossible to merely glance at his husband is embarrassing. Patrick, on the other hand, looks pretty satisfied. 

“Okay, I’m going to need you to walk through this inspired plan of yours”.

Patrick rests his forehead against the door frame, releasing a long sigh. If forced to take a guess, anyone would assume the cause is frustration. But, David isn’t anyone. Only he can tell how all of Patrick’s features are lit up, a grin resting easily on his lips. 

“Is this like, a fruit salad situation?” David asks, attempting to hide his disgust, “Because that idea is fundamentally flawed. Half the fruits we would need are out of season, and all of them mixed together just tastes like a-”. He scrunches his nose and gives a vague hand gesture, “melon-y mess, if you will.'' 

“Thank you for treating me to that wonderful alliteration”, Patrick teases, leading David to roll his eyes with mock annoyance. “But, no. No fruit salad. No melon-y mess”.

David opens his mouth to interject.

“And no, edible arrangements either”. David can’t help but sigh with relief, which makes Patrick laugh. He loves making Patrick laugh, watching his eyes squint and face brighten. It’s totally at his own expense, but they love each other. So, it’s okay with him. “I learned that mistake when I gave you one for completing your online business degree courses. You said they were-”

“-incredibly tacky and it is disrespectful to dismantle art, even if it is tasteless art”, David finishes, “And I stand by that statement wholeheartedly”. Patrick gives him a weary look, so he clarifies. “Even though it was an incredibly thoughtful present, which I thanked you for several times”. 

His husband flashes him the biggest smile, and he feels his heart stretch twice its size. It’s so easy to make Patrick happy, with a snarky remark or a simple expression of gratitude. But, from the painful retelling of his past, David knows it wasn’t always like that. Patrick would tell him about experiencing loneliness, living under intense pressure and high expectations. It hurt him to hear these stories, and he knew it hurt Patrick to share them. However, whenever David would ask, Patrick would tell. Simple as that. The responsibility to keep Patrick happy weighs heavy on his shoulders, like he needs to make up for lost time. David does not take this duty lightly. 

“The pineapple isn’t part of some larger gift. The pineapple is the gift.”, Patrick explains simply, “When you give it to someone, it is essentially blessing them with a welcoming home. A nice gesture”. 

David snorts. “So, we are going to present this sad excuse for a fruit as a less-than-subtle hint or rather unattractive metaphor that my mom and dad are uninviting?” 

He means it as a joke, lips curled in a playful smirk. When he looks up, David realizes that Patrick did not find this funny. The frown on his face makes him squirm, forcing him to stare at his shoes instead of the concern in his husband’s eyes. An arm circles around the small of his waist and he tenses at the touch. 

“David, your family is the opposite of uninviting”, he says, rubbing a soothing hand across his back, “They were the first people who made me feel comfortable in my own skin. I let myself be my authentic self, and they were nothing but supportive. The Roses are special like that”. 

The lump in David’s throat was growing, which he both hates and loves. Emotions are kind of gross. Or they could be great sometimes, if he lets them be. 

“Well, okay,” David mutters, resting his head in the crook of Patrick’s neck, “I think that makes some sort of sense, a little bit, possibly”. His voice sounds muffled in Patrick’s t-shirt, but a laugh knocks David’s head off of Patrick’s shoulder. It’s too adorable to be considered annoying.

“Also, they are finally out of the motel. It’s your parents’ first place to themselves in almost a decade,” Patrick explains, ever the voice of reason, “I know they weren’t the happiest about the amount they received, when they sold the town last year. It wasn’t enough to check everything on their wish list. So, I thought they would appreciate a little extra symbol of home in their apartment”. 

Pineapples are weird. They are prickly and stringy and oddly tall. It is self-explanatory why they should not be a thoughtful gift idea. Yet, his husband giving his parents a present with the simple intent of making them feel comfortable makes all the sense in the world. No one in his life has ever cared about the well being of his family, if they were happy and healthy. The only concern was the amount of money in the bank account and the possible benefits that could be received by using the Rose name. 

“You really care about them,” David whispers. He didn’t mean to say that part out loud, but doesn’t hate how he’s treated to Patrick’s lips against his temple. “You want them to have a happy home, so you got them a pineapple”. 

Patrick is beaming, cheeks tinted his perfect shade of pink. “You’re finally catching on”, he says, giving David’s hip a quick squeeze before walking back towards the door. His voice is soft, but prideful. It makes David’s stomach flutter, which is crazy. One sentence could make him nearly lose his mind, and he cannot get enough of it. 

He follows his husband out of the house. Patrick fumbles in his pocket for car keys, and David hates it. He wants Patrick to turn around, look into his eyes, and tease him. Or kiss him. Both sounded pretty great at the moment. 

“You’re weird”, David declares. It successful draws Patrick’s attention, as he drapes his free arm on David’s shoulder.

“Well, it’s a Brewer tradition. I cannot take complete credit for the idea. Does that still make me weird?”

David kind of blushes at that; Patrick’s wholesome family giving each other fruit, instead of jewelry, obscure paintings, and six-figure checks. He remembers the first time he visited Patrick’s parents’ house and noticed a pineapple door knocker, its shiny brass color reflecting the bright sunlight. 

“Yes,” he maintains, “You’re weird, and your family is, too”. He knows his argument is weak because he cannot stop smiling about that stupid door knocker and he is distracted by the need to press his lips against Patrick’s.

His husband is beyond amused. “Is that right?” David hadn’t noticed until now, but Patrick had trapped him in the door frame, arms pressed tightly against his sides and the leaves from the pineapple brushing against his cheek. And it feels so nice and safe, that he forgets what the question is for a second. Something about feeling right, which is exactly what David is experiencing wrapped up in Patrick’s arms. Absolutely correct. 

Then, he remembers. “Yeah, you come from a whole line of weirdos”. Patrick scoffs, leaning in to plant a quick peck on David’s lips. He tries not to groan, when Patrick pulls back far too soon. 

“Weirder than the Rose clan?” 

“Mm hmm”, David hums in agreement, brushing one of Patrick’s curls behind his ear. “Yeah, that whole tradition sounds a little cheesy”. 

Patrick, defiant as always, shakes his head. “No, I think you mean sweet”. The dopey grin he is failing to bite back makes David’s heart swell. 

“Yeah, that too”. David admits, bringing his husband closer for another kiss. Just before they meet, he sees the mischievous smile take full form on Patrick’s face. Everything clicks into place, and quickly pulls back.

“That was a pun, wasn’t it?”

Patrick laughs into David’s neck, the puffs of hot air making him shiver. “I thought it was pretty clever”. 

David aggressively shakes his head, which just makes Patrick laugh louder. “I know Ted asked for my blessing over a year ago, and he and Alexis just got back from their honeymoon last month. However, is it still possible to remove him from this family? Because I believe he is solely responsible for this nightmare.”

“Ah, David”, Patrick says, staring at David’s face with a furrowed brow. “You should take that frown and-”

“Don’t you dare say it”.

“Flip it upside down!” Patrick exclaims gleefully, twisting the pineapple in his hand. 

David pushes his way out of Patrick’s arms and steals his keys. “You just officially ruined a dessert I highly respect, so you can walk to Elmdale”. 

He begins to storm off to the car, when a hand intertwined with his own. “Totally understandable, David”, Patrick reasons from behind, “But, you can’t go to the party without a gift. So, I think you are stuck with me”. 

A groan escapes from his lips, but he still lets Patrick tighten his grip of his hand and lead him to the driveway. 

“Speaking of cheese,'' David mentions, “I would not be opposed to picking up some brie from the store, if Stevie bought them a nice wine that would pair nicely”. 

They both enter the car and fasten their seat belts. Then, David remembers. “No, she’s getting my parents towels from the same place she got our engagement present. Their linens are so soft. I should ask Stevie if she could give me their contact information for-”.

David realizes that he’d been talking for sometime, but they were still parked in their driveway. Upon closer examination, Patrick hadn’t even turned on the car yet. He was staring into David’s eyes, a sweet smile on his lips. 

“Are you okay?” He asks, placing a hand on Patrick’s thigh. His husband gave it a quick glance, then quickly returned his gaze to David’s face. “I just want to give you my full attention”, he says, without an ounce of sheepishness in his voice. 

That was too much. Even after years of marriage, it was too much. He feels himself get dizzy and clam up, forcing him to shift his hand to Patrick’s knee to make it less noticeable. 

“And, are you okay?” Patrick repeats the question, but David doesn’t have an answer. He only has something that he desperately needs to say. 

“You are the opposite of uninviting, too,'' David declares softly, letting his thumb trace patterns of Patrick’s skin, “You know that, right?”

Patrick brings David’s fidgeting hand off his leg, so he can kiss it. “Thank you, David”, he says, pulling the car out of the driveway. “A pineapple would be nice, though”.


End file.
